Iran
Bulk Carrier Struck Near Qatar as Hormuz Ceasefire Shows Cracks
First projectile attack in 18 days threatens fragile US-Iran truce as oil markets price persistent closure of world's most critical energy chokepoint.
US Sanctions Iraqi Deputy Oil Minister in Billion-Dollar Iran Smuggling Crackdown
Treasury targets government official and militia commanders for diverting Iraqi oil to Tehran-controlled networks, escalating economic warfare beyond terrorism designations.
Israel Built Secret Military Base in Iraq to Support Iran Campaign
WSJ investigation reveals covert Israeli installation deep in Iraqi desert, defended with lethal force against Iraqi troops who nearly discovered it in March.
China Pivots as Trump Summit Looms, Gulf Hedges Energy Risk, and Rate Certainty Evaporates
Beijing freezes Iran financing ahead of high-stakes talks, Gulf states shift oil reserves to South Korea, and competing Fed forecasts expose a $75bn pricing gap in markets.
Israel Strikes Beirut Hours Before Iran Deadline, Testing US Diplomatic Framework
First attack on Lebanese capital since April ceasefire kills Hezbollah commander as Washington awaits Iranian response to nuclear negotiation framework.
Iran’s Swarm Doctrine Survives US Strikes, Reshaping Naval Power and Energy Markets
Hundreds of fast attack craft still operational despite weeks of bombardment—proving asymmetric maritime warfare can constrain supercarriers and drive triple-digit oil prices.
US Sanctions Chinese Satellite Firms for Iran Intelligence Supply
State Department targets commercial space companies providing imagery that enabled attacks on American bases during Operation Epic Fury.
China Quietly Freezes Iran Refinery Financing Despite Public Defiance
Beijing instructs state banks to halt new loans to sanctioned refineries while Ministry of Commerce orders firms to ignore US sanctions—a dual strategy revealing the dollar system's constraint on Chinese geopolitical autonomy.
Hormuz Ceasefire Collapses as Oil Deficit, AI Capex Stress, and China-US Frictions Intensify
Energy supply shocks collide with semiconductor enforcement gaps and capital market shifts as geopolitical instability spreads across multiple theatres
U.S. Strikes Iranian Oil Tankers Hours Before Tehran’s Ceasefire Response
Pentagon disables two vessels in Gulf of Oman as diplomats await Iran's answer on 14-point peace proposal, exposing strategic split between military pressure and negotiation.
U.S. Strikes Iranian Tanker and Military Sites as Ceasefire Claims Collapse
Tanker attack and retaliatory bombardment expose fundamental contradiction in Trump's dual-track strategy of sanctions enforcement and diplomatic outreach.
China Halts Loans to US-Sanctioned Refiners, Exposing Limits of Financial Decoupling
Beijing's directive to freeze yuan credit for Iranian oil importers reveals the structural tension between sanctions defiance and dollar-system dependence.